Recipe Re-Do

Nostalgic for those great recipes that mom and grand mom used to make? Recipe Re-Do will share these great old recipes and provide a modern day, healthier substitution for some of the ingredients in these delicious classics.

Savory Cheese Chive Waffles

(Note: I found this low carb recipe at www.yourlighterside.com – it’s not retro but I have noted some adaptations I’ve tried that work equally well.)

1 cup processed raw cauliflower (I chop it up in a food processor until it resembles crumbs or rice) (RE-DO: try broccoli for a different flavor)

Fresh parsley and sun-dried tomatoes are suggested options. I’ve not tried either, but I have added cilantro, my favorite herb.

Heat a waffle maker until it’s ready. Mix all the ingredients together and drop by about 1/4 cup portions onto the waffle maker. Cook for four minutes or so. You’ll know they’re done if they’re browned and don’t stick to the waffle maker). Make the whole batch because whatever you don’t eat at first will refrigerate well. Since these waffles remind me of potato latkes, I eat them with a dab of sour cream (again, beware the low fat version, which only adds sugar).

1 cup Bisquick baking mix (RE-DO: Use Bisquick Heart Smart mix – click here to order through Amazon if you can’t find this locally, but it only comes in a pack of three via Amazon so share with friends)

It’s pretty difficult to upgrade perfection so the changes to this classic recipe are not much changed. I thought I’d share now because with school starting, colds and flus are likely to be on the rise. This chicken soup, a/k/a Jewish Penicillin, always comforts when someone is sick.

1 whole chicken (2.5 to 3 lbs.)

2-3 carrots peeled and chopped into small pieces (RE-DO: Instead of peeling, chop as is for extra fiber)

Rinse the chicken under cold tap water (first remove any bags or pieces-parts from the cavity). Place the chicken in a large soup pot and cover completely with water. Add carrots, parsnips, celery, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to medium-low. Cooks for 40 minutes and then add the fresh dill weed to the pot (you’ll possibly want to add more salt and pepper, too). Cook for another 20 to 30 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (you can tell by spearing the breast with a fork – it’s done if it’s tender).

Remove the chicken from the pot, drain it over the sink and then put it on a serving plate. You can serve it whole or cut up. It’s also nice to slice off some pieces to serve in the soup bowl. Remove any vegetables or herbs you don’t want to eat, such as the dill. Remove the other vegetables with a slotted spoon and add them to the serving dish (Note: if you’ve never eaten parsnip cooked in a pot of chicken soup, you’re in for a treat). Strain the soup in the pot so it’s a clear broth. Serve the soup in a bowl with the noodles or farro and enjoy the chicken and vegetables as the main course. As I’m writing this, I’m thinking of my grandma Clarice and my mom – so nice!

* If you use vegetable strips to replace pasta, first place them in a colander in the sink, sprinkle them with salt and let them sit at least 30 minutes to drain out the excess water.

Instructions: Cut steak into small cubes, trim fat and bone (you can cook with the fat and bone for more flavor, but remove before serving). Brown meat, onions and mushrooms in skillet with olive oil. Cover with water and cook one to one and a half hours or until tender, adding water as needed. Fill skillet with water and bouillon, add flour or almond meal to thicken. Add sour cream or Greek yogurt. Serve over noodles or vegetable pasta. Leftovers can be frozen.